Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now heading to Netflix after an extraordinary box-office run. The film will premiere on the streaming platform on November 26. While its theatrical performance was historic, its OTT reception could be a different story.
The Hollywood superhero film grossed Rs. 585 crores in India. It emerged as the biggest Hollywood grosser in the history of the Indian box office.
The film also achieved another major milestone by recording over 2 crores footfalls in India. It became only the third Hollywood film to achieve this feat after Titanic and Avengers: Endgame.
Its worldwide performance was equally impressive. Spider-Man: Brand New Day collected over USD 2.5 billion, with USD 1.5 billion coming from overseas markets and USD 960 million from North America. It became the highest-grossing film ever in North America and the third highest-grossing film worldwide.
However, the film’s box-office success did not mean unanimous appreciation. It received mixed reviews during its theatrical run, with a section of viewers feeling that the film was not up to the franchise’s potential. Yet, the Spider-Man brand, massive fan following and theatrical experience helped it become a phenomenal blockbuster.
Now comes the real OTT test. Theatrical audiences often turn up for BIG superhero films because of their scale, spectacle and franchise value. Streaming audiences, on the other hand, can be far more critical once the initial excitement settles.
Will Netflix viewers give Brand New Day the same reception as theatrical audiences, or will the film face fresh trolling for being an average superhero entertainer? Its historic box-office run is already secured. The OTT verdict is the next challenge.
